Mary Allen
After surgery, cats need special care. As the cat owner, you can do a number of things to ensure that your cat gets fit again quickly – both in the first few hours after the procedure and in the days that follow.
Many cats often appear changed after an operation: They are dazed and have an unsteady gait. With a plastic collar obscuring her vision and shaved patches around surgical scars, the cat looks more vulnerable than ever to her concerned owner. Here are 6 tips on how to properly care for your cat after surgery.
Write Down the Vet’s Instructions
When you collect your cat from the vet after an operation, you quickly forget to ask important questions because of the excitement or the heat of the moment. It is, therefore, best to take a notebook with you to the practice, use the note function on your smartphone or ask for a piece of paper and pen on-site to write down the answers to the following questions:
- When can the cat drink and eat again?
- Is there anything to watch out for when it comes to food?
- What medication and what dosage is she taking?
- What do you have to pay particular attention to in the next few days?
- On which days do follow-up treatments (wound checks, stitch removal, etc.) take place at the vet?
The vet will also be happy to write this down for you if you are too excited to follow his explanations. Also, get a phone number where you can reach him or another veterinarian outside of office hours if your cat’s condition worsens. Usually, you won’t need this number, but it’s safe to say.
Provide Your Cat With a Place to Heal
At home, your cat needs a warm, quiet, and clean place after surgery.
You should separate other animals, including conspecifics, from your cat during the rehabilitation period – these usually do not show any understanding that their roommate is now weak and do not behave particularly considerately. They could also lick the surgical scar and infect it or interfere with wound healing.
Be sure to provide your cat with a bed on the floor, as it may still be a little unsteady after the anesthetic and could fall off a bed on the sofa or bed and injure itself. Cats can remain in the well-padded transport container for the first few hours after the operation, provided it is spacious enough for the cat to lie, stand and sit comfortably.
Provide Cozy Warmth in the Sickbed
Bed your cat on a thick layer of blankets or pillows. An infrared lamp or hot water bottle provides additional warmth. But make sure that your cat doesn’t get too hot and that he always has the opportunity to withdraw from the heat source.
It is best to spread a freshly washed linen cloth over the sick bed because cat blankets contain a lot of hair that can irritate the wound.
Offer Your Cat Water and Food
The cat is usually allowed to drink freshwater soon after the operation. When it comes to eating, the following generally applies: as soon as the cat can move in a coordinated manner again and makes an alert impression, it can eat. As long as the anesthetic is still effective, there is a risk that the cat will vomit after eating.
However, there are also operations after which the cat is not allowed to eat anything for a long time. Therefore, always ask your vet when he recommends the first feeding. In some cases, he will also recommend a special diet to aid in recovery.
Watch Your Cat Closely
During the first few days, you should pay particular attention to your cat’s urination and defecation. If she has trouble with this, let the vet know.
You should examine the surgical scar once or twice a day. If it smells bad, is leaking, or appears inflamed, call your veterinarian. As long as the scar has not healed, you should keep free-roaming cats indoors.
A plastic neck collar is usually used to protect the scar. The collar bothers cats because it restricts their vision and freedom of movement. At the same time, it is essential because it protects the surgical wound from being gnawed and licked at. So stick to your guns when it comes to the collar.
Don’t Get Too Close to Your Cat’s Skin
Don’t feel sorry for your cat all the time, and above all, give it one thing: rest. Sleep and a stress-free environment are hugely important to recovery. Some cats find an overly worried mistress or master who spends the whole day nervously sneaking around the sickbed stressful. Pay attention to your cat’s body language and give her time, rest, and care to fully recover.